Features

A Look Back at the Phish Side Project Halloween Shows

Following yesterday’s news that Phish’s Page McConnell will perform as a guest keyboardist with The Metermen on Halloween, we’ve decided to look back on some of the Halloween shows performed by Phish’s side projects. Here’s a list of our favorites from over the years.

Halloween has always been an important part of Phish’s festive nature. The group has been playing appropriately themed shows on Halloween night since 1986, playing a total of eleven shows on October 31st throughout the years. Most notably, Halloween brought about the concert of a “musical costume,” during which, the band would perform a complete album by another band. The album would be the second of Phish’s three sets that night.

Notable albums include The Beatles’ The White Album and most recently, Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus. In earlier years, the musical costume would be voted upon amongst fans via newsletters. The band even held costume contests at some shows. Even when an album was not played, sets included spooky themes throughout. This holds true for the various side-projects that have played on Halloweens that Phish has skipped. While other bands haven’t taken the leap to play full albums, it is evident that Halloween is an important holiday to all Phish members.

Trey with the Dectet – Asheville Civic Center 2002
While this show is light on rare covers or “spooky” songs, it’s definitely festive. This marathon show includes a version of “Tops Off” played for Brad Sands, Phish’s ex-manager. During the song, Trey encouraged the crowd to swing their shirts over their heads, doing so himself at the song’s conclusion.

Pork Tornado – Roseland Theater 2002
On Halloween 2002, Jon Fishman brought his Pork Tornado project to the Roseland Theater in Portland, ME. Playing alongside the lineup of guitarist Dan Archer, saxophonist Joe Moore, bassist Aaron Hersey and keyboardist Phil Abair, Fishman and friends delivered a slew of originals and cover songs, including several songs by Frank Zappa.

Trey Anastasio Band – Stubbs BBQ 2006
This show features many guest appearances including Russel Remmington, Fernado Castillo, Carlos Sosa, and Raul Vallejo on horns and Ivan Neville on Keyboards. The show itself includes a rather sparse setlist, allowing for longer jamming. It is clear Trey had the urge to get into some deeper playing on this Halloween.

Oysterhead – The Fillmore, Denver, CO 2001
A year in to the hiatus, Trey’s trio with Les Claypool and Stewart Copeland brought their Oysterheaded weirdness to Denver for a 2-night stand. Since the tour adhered to a singular setlist, few musical surprises were expected, however most of the audience was thoroughly amused by Trey emerging onstage wearing Fishman’s trademark dress. The show itself contained some of the finest jamming demonstrated by the trio in its short lifetime, and some Phish-related humor as Trey took advantage of a solo feature to tease a few signature Fishman vocal tunes.

Jazz Mandolin Project – The Juke Joint, Springfield, MO 2001
While Trey was dressed as Fishman onstage with Oysterhead in CO, Fishman was dressed as a jazz drummer with Jamie Masefield’s trio in MO. Touring in support of JMP’s Xenoblast, Fishman kept himself busy and in drumming shape over the hiatus with the mandolin-led trio. This seemed to ultimately have little impact on his drumming once Phish returned for the 2.0 era, especially in comparison to the wide assortment of new beats and approaches that Fishman has applied throughout 3.0, a period which followed an extended lack of drum activity.